Eccentricity
by Shinigami-Of-Hell
Summary: When Naruto loses his precious wallet and must search for it at Sasuke's house, what happens? What is this feeling in his heart? And what is it that he says that is causing Sasuke to stare like that? [SxN]Hiatus.
1. The Feeling

**We have another story, everyone! This is not my continuation of my Fruits Basket one-shot (it will be posted after the completion of the first chapter) but is in fact a Naruto fic. -sasukexnaruto- One of my favorite pairings. Still searching for the evil plot bunny that eludes me, so for a while it will be random. But I shall make it good!**

**Disclaimer: I own not Naruto, but praise the genius who created it!**

**Note - Featured in this fic shall be shounen-ai and yummyful yaoi. If you don't understand what these are I highly suggest you click the back button and read something else. I will not tolerate flames on this fic if you cannot read the warnings. You have been warned, reader.**

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**Chapter One: The Feeling**

The first time he felt it, Naruto was running frantically towards Sasuke's house in an attempt to recover his wallet. The over-zealous blond had lost it somewhere and was determined to find it because without it he would not be able to buy ramen--the almighty life force--and would have to go without it for a while. That he would not have. There was a slim possibility that Sasuke had found it lying around somewhere. It was half-way down some random road that the said realized that in five years of knowing Sasuke, as he was now seventeen, he had never been to his house. Thus running down these roads would lead him nowhere because he'd never be able to recognize the house of his teammate. So the blond did the only logical thing he could do. He ran to Kakashi-sensei.

Up and down the streets until he stopped in front of the well-known bookshop of Konoha, which housed many dirty novels; among those were Jiraiya's 'works of art' as he liked to call them. Hidden deep within the aisles of the wonderful store stood Kakashi, quickly finishing up his last few pages of one of Jiraiya's books so he can buy the new one and continue on with no interruptions whatsoever. Bursting with energy, Naruto bounded over to him and demanded an answer to his question.

"Oy! Kakashi--where does Sasuke live?"

Kakashi either did not hear him or was too engrossed in Icha Icha Paradise to give him a verbal answer as he chose to do nothing but continue to let his eyes scan the pages of his book. Naruto, with growing impatience, bounced on his heels waiting for an answer. If there was one thing he'd learned from Kakashi, though, it was to be patient. Sure enough his waiting paid off and Kakashi gave him the address of Sasuke's home. But as Naruto was running through the streets of Konoha in search, finally coming upon the street, he came to the conclusion that house wasn't a good description of Sasuke's dwelling. Try mansion.

Yes, the large building seemed to be comprised of the same material that all the dwellings of Konoha were built from, but this dwelling in particular demanded a certain amount of respect. Easily three times larger than Naruto's own house the building was regal and majestic, yet sagging in a way Naruto couldn't place at the time. A sort of shadow loomed over the mansion, giving the blond a queer feeling in his gut. Something told him to be afraid, yet something else told him to embrace the building as if it were his own. But at the moment all he wanted was to embrace his frog purse, so he pushed the thoughts out of mind and jumped the gate.

It was a miserable, drizzly day. One that gives people the feeling of wanting to do nothing but plop onto the couch and do absolutely nothing. And that's exactly how Naruto found Sasuke when he burst in the door--huddled on his couch in a ball, sleeping. It was at that moment that Naruto felt it. The pang of some unplaced emotion in his heart, causing him to blush and look away from Sasuke's sleeping form. However, in doing so he did not realize that he was not stopping and proceeded to run directly into the said, waking him with a start. Onyx and blue eyes met briefly, before the panic feeling kicked in their guts. They tried to move away from each other, merely succeeding in entwining their arms and legs. Briefly--and for the second time in their knowing each other--their lips met in a chaste kiss.

"The hell...!" Sasuke yelped, pulling away. "Naruto!"

"It's not what it looks like!"

Both fell on their butts, breathing heavily. Naruto was blushing, covering his face; Sasuke was staring at him strangely. The blond tried to form words in his mouth, only to fail dismally. But if he didn't come up with something quick, Sasuke would think he was just trying to cover for kissing him. Which he did not do! Thus he shouted the only words he could at a time like this, which possibly started the avalanche of emotions that was soon to follow.

"I'm not gay!"

"W...what?"

"M-my wallet!"

Naruto struggled to find the words and Sasuke only continued to stare weirdly at him. Giving a strangled sort of cry Naruto jumped up from the floor and ran back outside, not stopping until he was resting safely on top of the statue of the fourth Hokage. He fell to his knees in horror, fury, and hunger. If his wallet was in Sasuke's house he'd never get it back. How was he going to ever be able to look at Sasuke in the eye again, after what just occured? Waiting until his breathing was back to normal, he decided to see if he could somehow barter with the owners of Ichiraku Ramen. Maybe work for his meal? As unappealing as the thought was, it was all he had to go on so he struggled up and shot off to his favorite ramen spot.

"Oy, old man--"

The said man heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up, only to see Naruto staring at the object placed on the counter. A plushy green frog purse. His smile widened as he saw Naruto run toward it and hug it to his chest, nearly busting the seams. He went on to explain that a raven-haired boy had placed it there, informing him that he'd found it out in the park. A single tear slid down Naruto's cheek, and he wiped it quickly away. The old man smiled gently--he may not have understood everything about these ninjas and their weird feelings but he saw Naruto enough to know exactly what was going on. He wouldn't be surprised if he saw the two of them together more after this.

"Give me the biggest thing you've got!" Naruto yells, the biggest grin on his face.

"Hai!"

Moments later Naruto was faced with his favorite ramen, and was all ready to slurp it down. He pulled apart his chopsticks, gave the traditional 'itadakimasu!' and dug in. The warmth he felt spreading through his veins was a feeling that could only be accomplished by stuffing huge amounts of ramen down his throat. Well...that and currently, Sasuke. He nearly choked as the said's face came to mind. Onyx eyes, raven hair, porcelain skin...there was no mystery as to why he was the most loved ninja in the village. For a moment he felt a pout coming on. What was wrong with those girls? Didn't they have any taste? What about him--he was cute too, wasn't he? Outside of the village he'd had a few girls trail him for a while. They seemed to love his eyes the most...

Then again, he thought, it was probably inevitable that Sasuke would have so many fangirls. He had the whole bad-boy, mysterious and aloof thing going for him; whereas he himself was more of a loud, bubbly, in-your-face type of person. That and he held within him Kyuubi. Another pout. He loved his kitsune, even if it was a bit evil and ensured that he would lose a lot of respect from people. In fact, he saw no reason as to why everyone should hate him because of Kyuubi. He had had no say in the matter of the kitsune being sealed within him, so why should he be punished. He sighed and gulped down the rest of his ramen. So many questions, so many possible answers. He decided it would be best not to think of them, as no one was going to answer them, and just forget about them altogether.

After thanking the man and exiting the ramen stand, Naruto found that it was raining quite hard by now. And it was dark. Very dark. Even his foxy senses were no match for this overpowering darkness. But he felt too elated at the moment to consider the fact that he could not see where he was going. Sasuke had found his wallet. Unknowingly he clutched the wallet closer to his heart. Sasuke had cared enough to search for it, even after he had made such a fool of himself. First thing in the morning, Sasuke was going to find himself in a back-breaking hug.

"He's not such a heartless bastard after all."

Naruto punctuated this last sentence with a long drawn out sigh. And as he finished it, the worst possible thing happened. He tripped. His foot caught on some upright branch, sending him tumbling head over heels off a small cliff. Surprisingly, all Naruto could think of as he fell was Sasuke. The boy recieved numerous bumps and bruises on the way down but there was no doubt that the impact was worst. With a sickening crunch, Naruto felt at least two of his bones break and some of them twist. Blood gushed from a wound on his forehead, and all his happiness faded away. He needed to get home, fast. And if not his own home, then someone elses. Pft. What were the odds of that happening. No one was going to help him, bloodied up kitsune holder that he was. Somehow he managed to inch his way away from the site of the fall, reaching normal streets after a while.

His own home, he knew, was too far away to reach--he'd pass out before he got there. But there, shining like a single star in the sky, was Sasuke's house. Perhaps Fate loved him more than he thought... Exhausted but willed, Naruto crawled under the gate--scratching his jumper terribly as he did so--and up to the front porch. To his horror he found that he could not summon the strength to stand, or even raise a hand to knock on the hard wood door. Summoning his last bit of energy he raised his head and shouted at the top of his longs.

"Oy! DOBE!"

And with that he fainted. Upstairs in his bedroom, Sasuke's ears twitched as he vaguely heard the familiar insult. "It couldn't be..." He slipped out of his bed, clad only in a pair of boxers, and made his way downstairs. Straining his ears, the raven-haired boy could hear nothing unusual--only the comforting sounds of the rain hitting his roof softly. Curiously he padded to his front door...and opened it slowly. No one there. Not the familiar blond he expected to see, not even a flash of orange or an annoying laugh. His eyes trailed down and he let out a gasp. There was Naruto, unconscious and bleeding on own front porch. He was dripping wet, which indicated to Sasuke that he'd been out in the rain for a while. He'd probably soon catch a cold. Eyes wide and curious, Sasuke bent down and dragged the unconscious boy inside.

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**The shounen-ai shall be kicking in soon. I forgot to add in the opening statements but this fiction is dedicated to Maliciously Creative. She wrote the fic Pokemon Master Sasuke and I encourage you all to read it. That was my first fanfiction ever. Props to you, Chris-sama. Next chapter to be up soon. **

**Tori**


	2. Argue

**Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! It made me so happy. A few notes about this chapter before I get to writing it. First, I tried to make this chapter as long as I possibly could. Second, the quality of this chapter is not going to be as good as I wanted it because my computer chose to crash while I was in the middle of writing it, so much of what I'd written is lost forever. I'd perfected those paragraphs, too. But they're lost forever now, and I had to start over. So I apologize in advance if the chapter sucks. Hopefully it won't. **

**Disclaimer: I own no part of this anime/manga. **

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**Chapter Two: Argue**

"Damn fox, what did you do to yourself?"

Sasuke tossed Naruto gently onto his couch, wincing as rivulets of blood trailed down the sides of his white couch. Naruto squirmed, whimpering softly. Vaguely Sasuke wondered what it had been like for Naruto, as a child. He was by no means a popular person. While they had both been alone he, Sasuke, had been loved. All the fangirls, the adults--they loved him. What would it have been like to go through life alone, like Naruto had. Sasuke gulped; he didn't think he would have been able to live like that. He ran his eyes down the length of Naruto's body, wincing at all the blood.

With a rough tug he ripped the torn jumper open, gasping at the chest that lay hidden beneath. Such a nice, tanned chest it was. Now if only it wasn't covered in blood... He frowned. Whatever Naruto had done to himself, it had been bad. Moving into the hallway, he began his search for the first-aid kit. It was buried somewhere under all the excess junk of his house, since he never had to use it. Kakashi would usually drag him off to the hospital before he could seriously hurt himself. He slid open a closet and grabbed it from the top shelf. What did Kakashi know about dutiful training in the hope of defeating the one who killed your family? Nothing! His grip tightened around the box as he headed back to Naruto.

The boy was whimpering, tossing and turning in his state of unconsciousness. He muttered a single, in-audible word as Sasuke took his arm and began bandaging. Fifteen minutes later he was done, and he stepped back to observe his handiwork. Not bad; not bad at all. Perhaps he should take up medicine. He smirked. Naruto turned again, spreading some blood and staining the couch further. With that Sasuke realized that Naruto would undoubtedly be spending the night, and he moved off to set up a room. But in doing so he left the boy alone...just as he was waking up. Blue eyes opened to a white ceiling, a dull pain throbbing through his body. The first thing he noticed was the silence. Or more accurately, the lack of silence.

It allowed him to think of all the things that had happened within the walls of this home, all the terrible things Sasuke had had to endure. The loneliness... It bothered him that he hadn't known why Sasuke was so messed up until a while ago. He'd begged Kakashi to tell him and--after weeks of being pestered--his sensei had given in. Naruto shivered. The silence began bearing down on him, causing him to panic. Jolting from the couch and ignroing the searing pain in his back, said fox bolted towards the door.

"Sasuke!" Sasuke!"

He slid on the wooden floor, crashing into a small chest and knocking over a glass figuring. A beautiful crystal rose. Naruto watched with horror as the figurine fell through the air. It smashed. Dazed, Naruto slumped against the wall as footsteps padded closer. Lights danced in front of his eyes, clouding his vision. But he knew it was Sasuke.

"Naruto, what are you--"

Sasuke was cut off as Naruto latched onto him, squeezing him and holding him close. He was shaking, shaking, shaking, pulling Sasuke closer.

"I'm not gonna cry. Th...that's my way of the ninja."

"Naruto..."

The boy tried to give a cocky grin, but failed. A single tear rolled down his cheek, followed by several more. Sasuke was stunned; he'd never seen Naruto cry. Where was the cocky, over-zealous boy he'd always end up saving in the missions? Where was his annoying voice and stupid grin? This couldn't be him. Naruto's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground, hands covering his face as to not let Sasuke see his tears. What a surprise it was for him when Sasuke took his wrist and lightly kissed it. He opened his blue eyes to meet Sasuke's, seeing that they were filled with concern. He gave a low moan as Sasuke picked him up, trying to ignore the pain. Sasuke nuzzled his neck.

"It's okay to cry, Naruto."

"S...Sasuke."

Sasuke began walking down the hallway towards the room he had set up, wondering what in the world he'd just done. It seemed that everything was just out of order today, starting from Naruto coming to look for his wallet up until now. He lay Naruto in bed, noticing how pale he looked against the black sheets. Sasuke stood there for a moment, watching Naruto begin to slip into sleep. He himself was tired--he didn't notice just how much until now. Naruto opened one bleary eye at him and gave a weak smile in thanks for everything. The smile was so genuine, so real--Sasuke leaned in and pressed his lips against Naruto's softly. Now both of Naruto's eyes were opened wide, a look of utmost surprise on his face. Sasuke himself was a bit freaked at his actions, but chose to ignore the thought. He pulled away, smiling. Naruto tasted like ramen.

"Goodnight, Naruto."

**-The Next Day-**

"Yo."

"You're late!"

"Yeah. I slipped in the shower, so…"

"You lie!"

"Like hell you slipped!"

Naruto and Sakura attempted to pound their sensei into the ground, only succeeding in being held back. Sasuke leaned—as usual—on the bridge wall, watching Naruto closely. The two had agreed to keep quiet about last night; at least until they figured out what it meant. Kakashi would just tease them, wondering who would be uke, and Sakura…well, Sasuke wasn't going to even think about that. Sakura and the other rabid fan-girls were going to have to remain blissfully ignorant.

"Well we have a small mission today. D-rank," Kakashi informed them with an easy smile. "Pulling weeds. Naruto, I expect you remember what happened last time we had this mission?"

Unknowingly, Naruto fingered his left eye as he nodded.

"Good. You and Sasuke will work together on this one."

"But I can do it myself!"

"Be quiet, dobe."

"Urusai, Sasuke-teme!"

The two glared at each other, and both would be dead if looks could kill. Sakura glanced nervously from one to the other—the tension had been very bad this morning. Much worse than the usual tension that came between her two teammates. She wondered what had happened between them… Perhaps something that had occurred last night? Naruto was looking for his stupid purse; she remembered his frantic look as he nearly pounded her door down to get to her. Sheer terror. Maybe he'd gone to Sasuke and done something stupid. Inner Sakura urged her to whack the blond, but she suppressed the urge.

In silence the four set out to do their mission, hoping that it would end soon and they could all go back to their peaceful lives. Training for Sasuke, ramen for Naruto, perverted books for Kakashi, and Sasuke-stalking for Sakura. The owner of the garden was a bit reluctant about letting Naruto in her garden but as Kakashi assured her he wouldn't be left alone, she gave in. Still glaring at each other Sasuke and Naruto moved off to a secluded corner of the garden to pull weeds and…discuss things. It was unspoken between the two that something had to be made of their rather strange night, or the feeling of not knowing would drive them mad. Weed after weed was pulled and the two said nothing, feeling that nervous pressure in their gut increased.

"So…" Naruto gulped, eyes pointed down. "What did it mean?"

Sasuke pulled another weed, silent. The clouds overhead were white and puffy, so unlike the black storm clouds of last night. He vaguely wondered if Naruto's blood was still splattered across the streets of the city, hoping it had washed away. Blood on the streets did not remind him of pleasant things… Naruto, upon recieving no reply, gazed up at Sasuke, but the boy still said nothing. He didn't know what to say. What did it mean? Was it just that they were becoming better friends or could they possibly have the potential to be something more? The mere thought made him clench his sweaty palms anxiously. There was no doubt that Naruto was attractive. Most times he was downright adorable. And when he was fighting he took on a look so amazing…

But what would that do for his dream of replenishing his clan? He very well couldn't do that with a boy.

"Look, Naruto. I don't know what it means. I'm sorry."

"Oh." Naruto's voice was depressed. "That's okay. It was a bit...weird."

Sasuke turned at the blond's voice. Naruto was--for but a moment--frowning, his bottom lip quivering lightly. But then it was gone and on his face was an impossibly large grin. So fake... Sasuke glared at Naruto for trying to hide behind his mask. Uchiha Sasuke was no idiot; he knew when Naruto was trying to hide his real feelings. How could he not--he did it all the time!

"Naruto!" he snarled, grabbing his collar and yanking him close. "Stop doing that!"

"Let go of me, teme!"

"If you're sad, then be sad!"

"S...shut up! You don't know anything about me!"

"You're such a fake person!"

"You're one to talk!" Naruto jumped up, angry. In his anger he didn't notice that the last thing he'd yanked from the ground was not a weed but was, in fact, a pretty red flower. "You're such a cold, heartless bastard to everyone and I hate you!"

With that he shot off, brushing past Kakashi and Sakura and running quickly into the distance. The villagers glared at him as he rushes past, nearly knocking them all over. He glared at nothing in particular, mad at himself. He really went to far with that, with calling Sasuke a bastard. After everything Sasuke had done for him the night before...! But then again, he wasn't willing to talk about last night, either. It must have meant something; why would Sasuke have kissed him if it didn't? Was he just trying to toy with his mind? _'Damn Sasuke.' _Still weak from his fall last night, his legs managed to carry him to his home before completely giving out. Disgusted with himself, he kicked open his door and plopped down onto his couch. It wasn't even noon and he'd managed to turn his whole day shitty. Before the day was over, he'd have to apologize to Sasuke for yelling at him, and Kakashi for skipping out on the mission. He released the flower in his fist, cursing.

"Damn it..."

The flower hit the floor in silence.

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**There you go, readers! I finished it, and I'm dang proud of it too. And I had lots of inspiration from watching the anime, too! Go Naruto! Ah, said blond is such a hot-head isn't he? What will happen in the next chapter--I'm not even sure yet. -pout- Until the next chapter, Hatori is signing out! Ja ne!**


	3. I Think I Love You!

**Hello readers, I am still alive. XD Damn homework and preparing for finals almost killed me, but I pulled through! Now just two more weeks until finals and then I shall try to post faster. If my computer lives, that is. Today I went on a serious writing spree, re-writing what I had lost in my computers previous crashing and chapters for my other stories. I feel like I have accomplished something and that will make up for me not getting to play miniature golf in Zama this weekend. Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day to you all! Here is your chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own not Naruto. I only own the extra characters which I invented.**

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Chapter Three: I Think I Love You**

Kakashi watched the ongoing argument between Sasuke and Naruto with interest. And when Naruto ran off without warning, the jounin did nothing to try and stop him. For one, it would do no good to drag him back if he wasn't going to be calm enough to finish the mission--he would just end up pulling more flowers than weeds--and for another thing, he didn't want to be on the recieving end of any punches Naruto might throw in his anger. Yes, Kakashi had sparred enough with the fox boy to know that his hardest punches were thrown in anger. He knew this because he had, er, trifled with the boy more times than once. So instead of risking harm to himself, he allowed the mission to go on in silence. Sakura was oblivious, so involved was she in her work. Kakashi chocked back a bit of a glare, knowing that even when Sakura noticed that her teammate was gone, she would not question it. Instead, she would only try to come closer to Sasuke. _'Poor girl...' _

When the three had finished, and their customer had finished thanking them, Kakashi had insisted that Sasuke and Sakura spar for a while. He leaned against a tree while they fought. But while Sakura was emmencily enjoying herself--after all, she got to fight with Sasuke--Sasuke himself was suffering beyond words. He always prefered fighting with Naruto because the boy would not hold back on him, like Sakura would. That, and Naruto always took on a cuteness all his own when he was fighting. After several parries, dodges, and punches landed by Sasuke, Kakashi took pity on his poor student and decided that it was time for him to stop the fight. He had to tell them about tomorrow, anyways.

"Oy, you two!"

"Huh?"

Sasuke turned and Sakura--who thought he would dodge her--continued on with her attack. Wham! She shrieked as her blow landed perfectly and Sasuke went flying. Kakashi stifled a laugh as the Uchiha glared at the ground, then at him.

"We have a mission tomorrow. We're escorting one of Shibuki's men back to the village of Mist."

"Shibuki-san?" Sakura asked after apologizing to her precious Sasuke and helping him up. "The scaredy cat?"

"Aah. Sasuke, make sure you tell Naruto," Kakashi pulled him close and whispered. "Don't forget to kiss and make up."

At that, said Uchiha stomped off towards the village, leaving Sakura confused and his sensei hiding a knowing smile. His first stop was Ichiraku Ramen, where he ordered a large miso ramen to go for the kitsune; it would act as his white flag. He didn't know how long Naruto could hold a grudge and he didn't ant to know. Hopefully the ramen and his most sincere apology would be enough. Naruto's apartment came into view and Sasuke--had he not been carrying ramen--was ready to bolt towards it. Clacking up the stiars, he kicked the door open with ease and entered, looking for his teammate. _'Oh...' _There he was, asleep on the couch. Smirking, Sasuke waved the ramen bowl in front of him, setting it aside before Naruto could pounce. But alas, the tiniest bit of broth flicked up onto his face and when the kitsune attacked, he zeroed in on the bit of broth and licked it from Sasuke's face. And then he woke up. With a yell to raise the dead he scrambled back towards the wall.

"What the hell--!" Naruto yelled. "What are you doing, Sasuke?"

"I...I just came to apologize for today. I brought you some ramen. Look, maybe we should stay away from each other. Stuff tends to happen when we're together," he took a breath, a deep flush covering his face. "And we have an escort mission tomorrow."

Naruto gave a short laugh, "And you want us to 'stay away from each other.'"

Sasuke's flush grew deeper. Naruto, remembering that he had ramen, grabbed for a pair of chopsticks and began slurping down the food. A content look settled on his face and Sasuke knew he'd done good. He stared down at his hands while Naruto finished and as he uttered the traditional 'it was delicious' the Uchiha felt it was time. So, he apologized. It truly did hurt, as he continued with it, for he felt that he had not been in the wrong. But he had to do it. When he finished Naruto just sat and stared, as if he couldn't believe that the Uchiha Sasuke had apologized to him, the village outcast.

"Tomorrow at seven, be at the bridge," Sasuke walked up to him and, taking Kakashi's advice, kissed his cheek. Naruto was unfazed; he was used to it now.

They smiled at each other and Sasuke exited the house, heading back to his own and feeling as though a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

-0-0-

Sakura could feel the bloodlust eminating between Naruto and Sasuke even before they were in sight. They came towards the bridge in a silence that was so scary she wished they would start yelling at each other. _'Oh, Kakashi-sensei hurry up and get here!' _She prayed he was doing something useful--like picking up their charge!--instead of lounging about somewhere. Her teammates came into view then, with Naruto waving at her and Sasuke... Sasuke was smiling. Nearly dying from the sight of it--however beautiful it was--she immediately sensed that something was wrong. The bloodlust was still there, yes, but was it really bloodlust? As they came closer it seemed as though it was really...really...well, she couldn't place a name on it but it wasn't unfriendly. She wondered what was going on.

In truth, Naruto had run over to pick Sasuke up that morning and when the Uchiha answered the door--clad in his pajamas--Naruto had glomped him with all the force as if he'd just eaten a bowl of sugar. He gave Sasuke a morning kiss and told him that later he had to tell him something. Sasuke--having a good idea what he wanted to say--was thus put in an unusually good mood for the morning. Sakura stood between the two in silence, lest they start shouting at each other and she would have to intervene. She did not trust this unusual feeling that was going on, and she prayed all the more for Kakashi to hurry up and get his but to the bridge. Minutes later Kakashi came strolling towards the bridge with their charge, who so resembled Shibuki that for a moment the three thought it was the leader of the village of Mist that they were looking at.

"Ohyao, everyone."

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura and Naruto shouted, as usual.

"G...gomenasai," the boy behind Kakashi looked to be about their age, if not a few years older. "It was my fault. I held your sensei up."

Blink. Blink. "Well," Sakura eyed Kakashi suspiciously, but he just smiled at her, "all right, we're sorry. You just be happy you had a legitimate excuse this time!"

"I am."

"Sh...shall we go?" the boy whispered softly.

"Hai," Kakashi turned to his students. "This is Yuri, Shibuki's cousin. He's eighteen. He's a lot like Shibuki, too, so be nice."

"Eh? You mean the type of guy whose afraid of everything?" Naruto stared at Yuri with piercing eyes; both Sasuke and Sakura ribbed him with their elbows. "Ouch!"

The three stared at Yuri. He had hair like Sasuke's--dark, dark blue--and it fell to his shoulders softly. Tall and thin, he didn't have a lot of muscle and the three instantly assumed that he was more of an advisor to Shibuki than a field ninja. But then again, there was nothing wrong with that. His demeanor was, of course, much like Shibuki's, but his eyes were all his own. A soft brown, they pierced through the three of them with such power that they could not help but look away. He was a soft boy, no doubt sheltered from the world's evil by overprotective parents. Finished scrutinizing, they nodded to Kakashi who led them to the gates of town and out, down the familiar road which led to Yuri's village. It would be a peaceful trip for there had been no trouble from neighboring countries for the longest while, and there was no reason that trouble should start up now.

They walked for several hours, chatting about whatever could grasp their attention for the longest time. They learned more about Yuri; about how he had a twin brother waiting for his return and how his mother had tried hard to keep him from all the evil truths of the world. He laughed at this, telling them how upset she was when he told her he had decided to be Shibuki's advisor on war. He was shy and quiet, not really branching out or trying to reach people in his village. He was content with having a book to read and an apple to munch on a hot summers day beneath a shady tree. And the more Team 7 learned about Yuri, the more they liked him. He was not arrogant, nor did he try to impress them any, and he was an all around nice guy. He fit into the group immediately. When the five stopped to make camp, Naruto took Sasuke's hand and dragged him away from where prying eyes would be able to hear them. They ended up along the river they had been following all day, and as the sun was setting it looked very beautiful.

Naruto bounced eagerly on the balls of his feet, trying to put into words what he was trying to tell Sasuke. The older boy stood there patiently, heart pounding in his chest. He knew what Naruto was going to say, because he was going to say it too, but... It still scared him. When Naruto finally found his voice, he said the words that would make Sasuke both very happy and very miserable.

"Sasuke, I...I think I love you!"

A soft smile spread across his face as he pulled the blond close to him and kissed him, happy that he didn't need an excuse to do it anymore. Happy as he was to know that Naruto returned his feelings, he was scared. What would the villagers think about him if he and Naruto were to go public with their relationship? He could just hear them now. "Those last two Uchihas really are crazy." "One killed his entire family, and the other one is gay!" "In a relationship with the demon. His poor mother must be rolling in her grave." Sasuke clenched his fists. He didn't care what they said about him, but they could not insult his family.

"Sasuke...?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing," he smiled wider. "I...love you too, Naruto."

At that, Naruto's ocean blue eyes filled with so much happiness that for a moment, Sasuke was shocked. He was even more shocked when Naruto began to cry, and didn't know what to do to help him. _'Um...' _

"There, there, Naruto--it's okay," Yuri appeared from behind the bushes and pulled Naruto into a hug. "It's okay."

What. The. Hell. As Sasuke struggled to understand why Yuri had been hiding in the bushes, Naruto appeared to be calming down due to the wonderful administrations of Yuri. He sent Naruto back to camp so he could talk with Sasuke, who was still confused as ever.

"I had a feeling you two were together," Yuri laughed quietly. "He's just happy because someone actually loves him. He's an orphan, right?"

"How did you--?"

"Kakashi told me about him on the way to the bridge. I think he knows about you, too."

"I'd rather date Sakura than have that be true," Sasuke blurted, unable to control himself.

Yuri gave another laugh, "Despite what you might think, your sensei does care about you two. I think he'll be happy to know he was right. Just know, though, that you've made Naruto really happy. But if you do something wrong, he's going to be so heartbroken he might just die."

"Hmph. How would you know this?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Well believe it or not, Sasuke, I'm pretty popular with the ladies," Yuri winked. "War advisory isn't the only thing I do."

Mulling it over on his way back to camp, Sasuke decided that Yuri was right. He would have to tread carefully with his relationship with Naruto, or things might unfold to become a living hell before his eyes, and he didn't want that.

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Wow, that was shorter than I thought. o0 So, what do you think? That darn plot bunny had eluded me once more, and I just found the plot of the story three days ago! Time to break out the hunting gear again. With that said, I apologize if this story is just random until I can catch that stupid bunny. I'll think of something though, if I can't remember. Until next chapter, minna!**


	4. It's Just A Game

**Hullo everyone I am back—somewhat—from my writing slump. Too much damn homework… " Whoops, sorry about that. Moving on I appreciate all the reviews and I hope I'll continue making the story good enough for you!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not copyrighted to me; the only characters I own are the OC's that will come in soon.**

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Chapter Four: It's Only A Game**

The rest of the mission passed smoothly, with Naruto and Sasuke occasionally sneaking off to have a good make-out session away from their teammates and charge. Sakura remained oblivious through the entire mission—still in her delusional faze that Sasuke loved her—and Kakashi did nothing to aggravate them save for giving them a few knowing looks now and then. Yuri answered Sasuke's occasional questions (though Sasuke never did figure out why he was hiding in the bushes) and helped him handle his relationship with Naruto with care.

He didn't want to make a mistake, now did he?

"Sasuke-kun, you're spacing out!" Sakura ran to help him as the raven haired boy slipped on a rock and slid, slicing his knee open.

"Shit!"

"Stop being so clumsy, teme!" Naruto chided as he hopped down next to Sakura. Anger boiled within him as he saw Sakura dressing his wound, wishing that he himself could do it. But no—Sakura was training under Tsunade oba-san and would eventually have to learn this stuff, so he shouldn't deny her any extra practice. Besides, Sakura cared about Sasuke too…

"Hm. You're one to talk, still stepping in dog shit when we arrived, dobe."

A vein popped in Naruto's forehead and he had to fight the urge to grab the smirking boy and shake him. Kakashi said nothing; just came over to Naruto and ruffled his hair. The blond—always hating when his sensei did that—was now moaning over his ruined locks and went to the stream to get them wet. _'Well hell, why not just take a dip?' _Stripping to his boxers said uber-happy ninja gave a wild shout and jumped, letting the current take him along until he was back near Sasuke and Sakura.

Climbing out he shook himself dry, earning a large whack on the head for spraying Sakura with water.

"I…Itai, Sakura-chan…"

He turned to Sasuke, giving the boy an incredibly sexy smirk and causing the boy to go crimson. _'Hah.' _Kakashi had stalked off to gather his clothes and now returned, tossing them to Naruto and telling him no one wanted to see him like that. He ended the sentence with a deep, evil smirk.

The village came into view soon and with all their speed the ninja group was home very quickly. They finished reporting to Tsunade and then went their separate ways, Sasuke deciding to walk Naruto home. The streets were bustling with people buying food, kids playing ball on the sidewalks. They pass the Konoha Academy and wave at Shikamaru who had been bullied into teaching a class in place of Iruka-sensei.

He was, after all, a Chuunin.

Suddenly Sasuke tensed, and then stopped walking. Naruto turned to face him and saw the soft smirk on his face. "What's up with you?"

"Hello Uzumaki-san."

"YAH! G-gaara?"

It was indeed the insomniac Gaara, standing behind them in his Kazekage outfit. He bore a smirk similar to that of Sasuke's, probably because he caught Naruto off guard. He looked strange to Naruto to see him without it; it gave him a light, airy look. Excited and finished with being scared Naruto glomped the boy, giving a wide grin and bombarding him with questions.

"Naruto, get off of me," Gaara muttered as Naruto began rubbing his forehead against the soft cloth of his shirt.

"Nyah!"

"What are you doing here, Gaara?" Sasuke crossed his arms against his chest, his smirk giving way to a soft frown.

"Temari wanted to visit," he muttered, shoving Naruto off of him. "And insisted that I be dragged along…"

"Temari ne-chan?" Naruto's blue eyes sparkled. "I haven't seen her in forever. Is Kankuro here?"

Gaara shook his head. "Opted to stay home."

Sasuke nodded in reply. Naruto continued grinning up at Gaara, so much so that Sasuke began to become a bit…annoyed.

"Well," Gaara was being to feel the pressure of Sasuke's full out glare. "I have to get going. See you later."

"No, no—" Naruto pleaded, tugging on the boy's shirt. "I haven't seen you in such a long time. Let's…let's play a game! Sasuke, make him stay!"

Something tugged at Sasuke's heart, and only the thought that this would make Naruto very happy spurred him to get Gaara to stay. Besides, he had to test out his theory.

"Gaara?" he said simply.

Between the whimpering fox and the cold-faced Uchiha, said red-head knew he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. He simply sighed and nodded, not really up for the challenge of fighting them both off.

"Yay! Let's play hide-and-seek, pretty please?"

"What are we, four?" Sasuke muttered, running a hand loosely through his hair. "No, let's have a taijustsu match. Winner gets a kiss from Naruto."

Gaara's green eyes caught his and he held their gaze, wondering…waiting…

"Fine."

"Hey no fair! Why do I have to be the prize?"

The two gave no reply; they merely continued staring at each other. Finally Naruto let the subject drop and the three shot off to begin the match

-0-0-

"Aw, shit…"

It was over. He had lost. He watched in jealousy as Gaara leaned over to Naruto and kissed him softly on the mouth. Naruto's eyes snapped shut and he made the noise of one who was enjoying himself. Sasuke clenched his fists so tight he drew blood. Only when they finally pulled away did Sasuke let out the long breath he was holding.

Gaara nodded to him and disappeared, leaving a startled Naruto behind.

"Naruto…" Sasuke extended his hand.

When Naruto took it he yanked the blond to him, kissing him roughly as if to reassure he were still there. Naruto was shocked; too shocked to move. Too shocked to do anything but stand and let Sasuke kiss him. He did not know where the sudden burst of affection came from and quite frankly he didn't give a damn. (1) All he knew was that if felt so good…

It was then Naruto began contemplating the difference between the way Sasuke and Gaara kissed. His mind—thoroughly numb but still functioning—screamed at him to stop. The fox was treading on thin ice, pondering this question. But he kept going. Sasuke's kisses were rough, even when he was kissing softly. Gaara's kiss was…gentle. Naruto moaned into the kiss as Sasuke drew him closer. He wondered if Gaara could kiss like Sasuke, and vice-versa.

'_No.' _Naruto chided himself. _'You love Sasuke, dobe. Don't ruin it.' _And with that thought he patted Sasuke's head as he pulled away and placed his head on Naruto's shoulder.

"It's okay, Sasuke—it was only a game."

Sasuke shivered; yes it was only a game. And he had been the one to suggest the prize. There was no reason at all to be so paranoid. None at all.

"I love you, Sasuke…"

"Aa." Sasuke calmed himself before slinging his arm around Naruto and continuing their walk. They were farther from Naruto's house because of the game, but Sasuke didn't care. In fact, he was rather glad that Naruto had forced him into the game. It only meant, for Sasuke, more time with the boy. Naruto began chattering away, but Sasuke couldn't hear the words. He could only see the movement of the boy's mouth.

Naruto had an adorable mouth. He laughed, leaning in and kissing Naruto on the tip of the nose; such an un-Sasuke like gesture. The kitsune was startled into shutting up, returning the kiss and then slinging his arm around Sasuke.

They continued the rest of the walk home in silence.

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Phew. That chapter was a bit short but I promise the next one will be much longer, as we move into some angst. Wai, I finished quite a few chapters this weekend. Three. Yay! One shy of my record but I'll take what I can get.**

**I just couldn't help it. I had to bring Gaara in. –glomps Gaara- He's just so adorable! Don't expect him to be around much for the next chapter though. Maybe enough for Naruto to see Temari but then they're going back home. W00t! Alright guys that's all I have for you this chapter so let the reviews roll in and I will have the next chapter up for you as soon as humanly possible, okay? Thanks so much guys—ja ne!**

**(1) A quote from the infamous Rhett Butler of Gone With the Wind. I love that book!**


	5. In Which Something Happens To Sasuke

**Everyone! I am so back right now. Third quarter is over and I passed it with all A's, so now I don't have to worry so much about homework since we are actually starting to wind down and the homework is easy. And we're going on a field trip! –is uber excited– Our first all year! **

**So…Gaara-kun came into the picture last time, didn't he? We're starting this chapter off a bit differently, you'll see in a minute. ; And the chapter takes a dramatic turn very quickly. Dun dun dun! Have fun reading, everyone! **

**Disclaimer: Naruto © to Kisihmoto-sama. Only the extra characters are mine. Whee!**

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Chapter Five: In Which Something Happens To Sasuke**

Swiftly, a dark shadow passed through the trees outside the large gate surrounding the peaceful village of Konoha. Stopping briefly on a leafless branch, the shadow pondered the use of the gate. None but a ninja village would attack Konoha and they are always so trained that they can scale such a gate in about three minutes. And the shadow highly doubted they built the wall to protect themselves from the forest bunnies. The shadow sighed, raking a hand lightly through dark tresses. They hadn't wised up a bit since the shadow's last visit.

The clouds were blown suddenly by a gust of wind and moonlight flooded through the gap, revealing to the night the figure's true self. Black hair, purple nails, and dark red eyes… Itachi looked upon his former village as a vile taste rose to his throat. He still hated it for all it was worth, but he had a purpose. He needed to get it over with before he was caught. Konoha would not give him a warm welcome, not that he wished for one. With ninja stealth Itachi ran light-footedly over a few branches before gracefully jumping to the top of the large gate.

Konoha was spread out before him like an unneeded map – he knew the way. Across the roofs of unsuspecting citizens he ran leaving no trail. His own home was quite far away, but the trip gave him time to think. He had been following his little brother for a week or so, completely unsurprised by the changes in him. Sasuke was smiling more, laughing more…loving more.

'_Poor fool,' _Itachi smirked. _'He has not yet learned.' _Something deep inside of him had always warned him that Sasuke would swing _that way_ but with the hated kitsune? Well, that was a surprise. Still, it gave him a much needed leverage. He knew Sasuke would never willingly follow his plans but if his precious kitsune was brought in the picture… Oh, how quickly he would agree. _'I am hitting low but what can I do?'_

Calmly stopping on the top of his own roof, he let his mind then wander to the slaughter he had done so many years ago. It still pained him, in a way, to leave Sasuke behind. He wondered what his little brother would have grown up to be if he hadn't taken his family away. But it was something that he would never know. Best to let it go. Sasuke had carelessly left one of the windows open – he slipped in without a sound.

"Sasuke-kun…" he whispered in a slightly predatory way.

The hallways were covered with pictures; he saw himself in a few of them. So smiling, so happy. He touched a manicured finger to one, sliding it against the glass over his young face. He had done what had needed to be done, and he would have no one blame him for that.

Continuing on down the hallway, searching out his brother, Itachi heard the sound of running water. Washing the dishes, it sounded like. It was too faint for bath water. Down to the kitchen he danced, spinning across the floor. He was as graceful as a swan, deceitful as a snake. There was nothing he couldn't do.

Sasuke had his back to him when he entered the kitchen. A small stack of dishes was waiting to be washed, and the remains of dinner were still sitting on the table. Nonchalantly he pulled out a chair and sat down. Sasuke didn't notice. Tilting his head he saw that his brother was spaced out, an innocent look on his face. He was washing the dishes automatically, giving no thought to what he was doing. Itachi sighed; spooned himself some stew, and took a few bites. Sasuke, no matter what anyone thought, was an excellent cook.

"As much as I love watching you," he said sarcastically, "I'm beginning to feel a bit neglected little brother."

Sasuke spun, a kunai in his hand. _'Oh my…' _"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. It's been so long."

Itachi cocked his head to avoid the kunai that had been released from Sasuke's hand. With a deep 'clunk' it embedded itself within the wall behind him. Sasuke had another one in his hand, wasting not another moment in attacking his older brother with a torrent of kunais and throwing stars. Itachi dodged them all, enjoying the little game. Only a glance to the clock reminded him of why he was there.

Dancing lithely on his feet he spun himself behind Sasuke and lightly pressed on the boy's pressure point, sending him to his knees in the split second of pain. He pressed his own kunai up to the boy's neck.

"Now we can do this the easy way and you come with me silently…" Itachi murmured in the boy's ear. "Or you can struggle and alert the village of my presence."

"Guess which one I'm going to do," Sasuke spat, wiggling away from his brother and heading for the door.

"I'll hurt Naruto," Itachi drawled in reply, examining his fingernails. Sasuke stopped short. "Oh yes, I know all about it. Consider, little brother. Do you really want to lose someone again?"

Sasuke gave no reply. He stood in shaky silence, trying not to cry. Itachi slid behind his brother and wrapped his arms around the pale boy's waist. Sasuke recoiled at the touch but Itachi grip was firm. Soon the two were outside in the brisk night air, heading for the forest outside the city. Itachi spoke as he half-dragged, half-carried his brother.

"If you behave you might only be gone a week or so."

"Where the hell are you taking me?" Sasuke's voice was demanding but Itachi knew he was merely putting up a front. _'Probably wondering why he's not tearing me to ribbons.' _

"To an old friend."

"Friend?"

"Mother and Father rather betrayed him at one point in his life," Itachi saw not point in hiding the truth, "and he has been rather set on revenge ever since. So to save time and energy I offered you up for a peace-offering."

He heard Sasuke gasp. "You bastard!"

"Now, now – it's either you go peacefully or he'll kill half the village to get you."

"Offer yourself," Sasuke hissed, trying once again to wrench himself free.

Itachi shook his head and twisted back to caress his brother's cheek lightly. "It has to be you. You always were the cutest."

A soft blush colored Sasuke's face – he still couldn't take praise from his brother. "Aniki…" he breathed. "Why?"

"I'm hiding something, yes." _'This is getting complicated.' _"But it's better if you just serve your time – he'll release you when he's done with you – and go home in peace. If you know, he'll kill you."

Sasuke skin went – if possible – paler. He moaned and struggled further against his brother's strong grip, trying to free himself. Itachi would have none of it. He scooped Sasuke into his arms and ran faster. Soon the landscape was changing to that which was rocky and hilly. Itachi's brow furrowed as he tried to remember the exact cave his 'friend' had chosen to bury himself in. but there was no need as a ninja clad in black appeared before the two.

"Itachi-sama."

He held his arms out expectantly only to have Itachi side-step him and enter the nearest cave. The walls were moist, dripping water at every turn. Further and further down they descended – the black ninja had followed Itachi down.

"Daijobu, Sasuke?"

"Fuck you," Sasuke growled as Itachi let him down and pushed him towards a large, ornate door.

"I'll come see how you're doing soon."

The black clad ninja then took over, catching Sasuke's arm and dragging him further towards the door. When Sasuke looked back, Itachi was gone. Sasuke felt a pang of hurt sink to his heart – wouldn't the stupid bastard even say goodbye? Well, he had said that he would come back to see him, so maybe there was hope yet. As long as he was dead in the end though, Sasuke didn't care. The black clad ninja stood behind him as he pushed open the door. He'd expected a creak from such a heavy door but there came none.

The door gave way to a room. It was decorated with beautiful curtains and Persian rugs, and plushy pillows covered the floor. Sasuke twitched to see that there were several pinks and yellows – but mostly blacks and greys. Deep within the room – or possibly close; Sasuke couldn't tell with so many pillows around – there came a pulsing aura. Even though Itachi had told him to basically accept his fate, there was no way he was going down without a fight. He was just reaching for a kunai when out of the pillows a blur of black tackled him to the ground.

"Sasuke-kun!"

'_What the fu—!'_

His neck was being affectionately nuzzled by the black blur that had shot at him just moments before. Sasuke – thoroughly shocked into silence – did nothing for the moment. The black clad ninja, after seeing that Sasuke was in the right hands, bowed and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Still a bit unsure of what to do (the figure's grip was quite good) Sasuke decided to wait out the random glomp he had received…

…until the figure started to kiss him.

"What the fuck? Get away from me!" Sasuke spluttered, shoving the strange figure away from him.

He held the figure at an arms length, examining it. Lively green eyes sparkled at him, and then went narrow as two fine black eyebrows furrowed as if in attempt to be serious. The figure burst out laughing, pulling away from Sasuke and giving him a better look. Black hair swung down to his shoulders, somewhat shaggy. His limbs and legs – both bared – were slender and smooth, and the voice was soft and alluring. And the figure had a flat chest. Sasuke figured that either it was a flat girl or a girly boy. The latter of the two seemed more reasonable as the figure straightened up and looked him in the eye, a predatory gleam flashing through them.

"Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun. My…" and suddenly Sasuke was pinned beneath the effeminate boy whose lips were locked onto his own almost in desperation.

The kiss, the searing kiss. Sasuke couldn't breathe. Stars were before his eyes; the figure pulled away for breath with a soft wet sound. Sasuke, numbed, couldn't move. His captor kissed so…divinely. Soon the lips were locked upon his again and it was all Sasuke could do not to moan into the kiss. He would not show weakness.

A soft tongue flicked his bottom lip in pleading. Immediately Sasuke opened his mouth, giving the boy entrance. Smooth, cold hands were running down his body; slipping under his shirt and stroking the sensitive stomach muscles. His stomach – one of his weaker points. He bit his lips in frustration, arching up. _'No, no, no!' _His mind was screaming at him to stop, begging him. Blood slid smoothly down his chin; the boy licked it up. The simple caress of his tongue against Sasuke's skin sent him shivering. This was nothing like he shared with Naruto.

'_Naruto.' _

Suddenly there was no weight on top of him – he had pushed the boy away. He sat breathing heavily, hand clutching at his neck. The boy stared at him from across the room, a smug smile on his face.

"One kiss, Sasuke-kun, made you submit to me," a cold, bitter laugh followed the statement. "And you're stuck with me until I release you. I will have you yet."

Onyx eyes hardened and a colorful phrase escaped him. His face was flushed, probably more so as the boy walked past him, running a hand through his long hair as he did so. Revolted, Sasuke was, at the fact that he _wanted _to feel the boy's touch again. _'Oh, god Naruto. I'm so sorry.' _

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Yay! We're going to follow Sasuke-kun around for a few chapters. Maybe just even the next one. xD I like my evil bishie-boy. You'll learn about him in the following chapters. Poor thing has such a horrid past. –sigh– What can ya do though? Alright guys, see that button at the bottom? Click, click, click!**

**Oh, and one more note. I _know _Itachi was out of character this chapter. T.T I just can never do him right! And I think Sasuke was OOC as well but damn it this took two months to edit and revise and I want it posted now!**


	6. A Truth Almost Revealed

**Hiya guys. Well, this is really late and really short. But it simply has to be for this story to go anywhere. Plus I need it to be a cliffhanger. ; Eheh. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Naruto. It is © not to me. Yup.**

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Chapter 6**

When Sasuke awoke, he found himself wedged between two fluffy beanbags. For a moment he couldn't remember what had happened the night before – maybe Kiba had succeeded in getting them all drunk – or where he was. He did have a whopping headache, though it wasn't at all like what he thought a hangover headache felt like. Puzzled, he pushed back the beanbag in front of him to get a better look at the room. And then he remembered.

Instinct made him reach for the kunai bag at his thigh, but it wasn't there. His fingers only snagged the cloth of his shorts. Cursing, he slipped into surveillance mode. The room was empty. Sasuke flicked his eyes everywhere around the room; he couldn't help but feel that he was being wat–

"Sasuke-kun!"

All his training couldn't send him scurrying away from the psycho who'd imprisoned him. He was caught around the waist and pulled into a hug. As he was slowly constricted he couldn't help but think that Naruto could squeeze harder. But there was no use in thinking about his lover, because there was no way for him to come or for Sasuke to escape. His eyes scanned the room; windowless.

"Sasuke-kun, did you sleep well?" cooed, slowly releasing his evil grip. Sasuke took a deep breath.

"More or less," Sasuke grit between clenched teeth.

"Yay! I have breakfast for you! Eat!"

The black clad ninja suddenly appeared, a tray of food in hand. He set it before Sasuke coldly, then disappeared again. Sasuke growled; it seemed there was nothing left for him to do but stay in surveillance mode. His first task would have to be evaluating his captor – who, at the moment was trying to feed Sasuke a bite of eggs. Besides physical looks and his killer glomps, there was nothing Sasuke really knew of the man. He looked to be around sixteen or seventeen – his age – but he wasn't going to fix a number on him just yet.

"Sasuke!" his captor pouted, dropping the spoon back onto the tray with a clatter. "You're not attending!"

"Why should I?"

"Hmph. I see that you haven't been taught proper manners. So many years without your parents has made you slip. I know how to fix that."

He trailed his fingers delicately over Sasuke's pale skin before pointing across the room to a contraption on the far side of the room. Sasuke's eyes followed his finger. There was a board, some shackles, and a lever.

"See, I lay you back and tie you up," he explained, "and I…have my wicked way with you."

Sasuke paled.

"Normally those in your position would be screaming for me to do that but…you have a lover, don't you?"

Sasuke glared. But as he thought about everything could take from him, his instinct told him what needed to be done. He did away with his glare, lowered his eyes, and bowed low. The bishie-boy squealed with delight, glomping him again. Sasuke resisted every urge in his body to push him away.

"That's a good Sasuke-kun. Well, let's take this slow, shall we? You eat, and I'll be back later to play," he skipped to the door. "Oh yeah. My name is Jenan."

He left, leaving Sasuke alone with his food. Angrily he picked up his spoon and stuffed it down his throat, hoping he would choke.

When Naruto awoke the next morning, it was raining. Well, that didn't bother the kitsune. He had his morning ramen just like usual, left his house just like usual, and went to get Sasuke. Well, that wasn't 'just like usual' but Naruto didn't want to walk to the bridge alone. Not in the rain at least. So he went to Sasuke's. By the time he got there he was soaking wet, his orange jumper dripping horribly. He dried himself best as he could – that was, he shook himself like a dog – and knocked on Sasuke's door.

After a few minutes of standing on the porch looking stupid, Naruto decided that a) Sasuke wasn't home or b) Sasuke was still sleeping. Deciding to test the latter first he shimmied up the drainpipe to Sasuke's window, peeping in. Someone was in there. But, Naruto noticed with rising panic, it wasn't Sasuke. He froze as the figure turned around and walked slowly to the window. Red eyes flashed as the window was opened and Naruto dragged in.

"I…Itachi."

"Hello Naruto."

And that was it. No threatening words, no insanely simple (but fatal) jutsus. For a moment Naruto wondered if he really was Itachi. The elder Uchiha turned to the table and gestured for Naruto to sit. The kitsune was amazed to see snacks and tea things set out. He sat down, bewildered.

"What the heck is going on?" Naruto demanded. "Where's Sasuke."

Itachi sighed, "He's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"To a place you'll never find unless you listen to me," Itachi spoke in a calm voice.

"What are you babbling about? I have to find Sasuke!"

"I have to tell you," Itachi interrupted softly.

"Tell me…what?"

Itachi sighed, looking past Naruto and towards the baby pictures on the wall behind him. There was a picture of him and Sasuke, when they were younger.

"I have to tell you," Itachi continued, "why I killed my family."

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Dun dun dun! Things will be explained more in the next chapter, readers. Gomen for the late update. A few rows with me mum doesn't help me update much. Not to mention she's leaving for a week. ; But, I am halfway done with my Furuba chapter, and more than three fourths of the way done with Chronicles. Yay! Until the next chapters!**


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